Welcome to Isla Sorna: Be the Raptor Quest

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Interlude One
Soundtrack: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
​

Somewhere far from Isla Sorna a meeting goes on as the world turns, unaware of the planet's most recent thinking members. Much of the world will remain ignorant to this for a long time. The aforementioned meeting, however, is being held by those that are...interested by the potential that Isla Sorna and its inhabitants hold.

This meeting is held in a typical board room; having biege coloured walls, a long wooden table and many chairs to seat the important people in the company, and a side table with treats and drinks for satisfying any hunger or thirst from the employees and keeping their attention in the room. Most important of all, though, is the large chair at the head of the table, where the boss, the CEO, seats himself.

At this moment, the CEO of the company is putting down a paper with a stunned look on his face. He looks to the man who brought the information contained within the papers to his attention. The informant nods, and makes as if to say something before being interrupted by the CEO, "How the hell did something this big go so long without being found out by our spies in InGen! A project this large, this expensive should have been found out long before now. It looks like InGen is only months from completing the first stage in a large scale renovation of the animal industry as we know it."

He makes as if to smash his fist into the table before stilling himself, fist halfway to the table. He takes a deep, calming breath before focusing himself on maintaining his control. Brushing imaginary dust of his dark suit, he turns his gaze to the head scientist of his company's genetics division. "How far off are we from managing a similar advance from what InGen has accomplished? Is there a chance we can replicate there feat in the next year?"

The white robed scientist adjusts his glasses, "I am afraid not sir. Hammond and his company have always been the top dogs in the genetics field. Ever since the discovery of DNA," the sight impaired man rambles on, in an almost professor like manner. To the average person, it would look like she was showing off her intellect, but the CEO could tell she was mentioning all this information to help inform the less...intellectual employees in the room. "Hammond has been funding the research and development of the best in our field. It would take at least a couple years of research before our scientists would be comfortable enough in their knowledge and abilities to begin to do what InGen has here. Even then, we would hav-"

"Enough," the CEO interjects in a poised manner, not raising his voice but making himself heard throughout the room. He turns to his...less than reputable, unofficial employee and asks, "Do we have anyone in InGen high enough in their hierarchy to get transferred into this project. I'd prefer to get someone into their genetics division, but even getting someone into their transport division would be fine. I, we need someone close enough to potentially grab something of worth." The person the CEO's gaze is upon slowly shakes his head.

Gritting his teeth, in frustration or some other emotion, the CEO leans forward with an elbow on the table and a hand pinching the bridge of his nose. A moment passes as the CEO's attempt to pacify the coming stress-induced migraine. "What of our attempts to get a hold of one of their giant, patented condors? Any success there?" The meeting continues onward in this manner for hours before it concludes. At its end, the CEO calls for the head of the genetics division, the head of his company's espionage department, and a few others in his inner circle to meet in his office.

The office is a surprisingly large area, with a redwood desk with a sufficient computer and several chairs to seat those in the room. The CEO sits in his comfortable chair as his inner circle seat themselves. Turning to the genetics department head, he asks, "How long would it take to really catch up to InGen?" The white robes man answers, "Probably a decade to get close to where they are now. More if we want to be at the point they will be at in a decade. It's going to be near impossible to close the gap between them and us unless we get some inside information on their processes."

Nodding, the CEO turns to the espionage department head. "Any clue how something this big went unknown for so long?" The CEO's piercing gaze makes the man gulp. "N-n-no clue sir. If I had to make a guess, I would say that they played this project real close to the chest. No digital data, to prevent any hackers, a tight inner circle, to prevent leakage, and high pay for all involved, to keep mouths shut and employees content. We haven't found any construction companies tied to the project, so it's likely InGen hired the construction either locally or privately. We haven't found anything on employees involved in the project so it's likely all very off the book."

Sighing, the man rubs his eyes in exhaustion. Its likely that the exhaustion comes from overexamination of how a project this large went unnoticed so long. "The Argentavis side-project was likely a ploy to attract the attention of our espionage department, to keep us from wondering why they were investing so much into their de-extinction project. The Argentavis is a more recently extinct animal so they used it to keep us from thinking of deeper applications of the de-extinction technology."

"The only reason we even found out about the," he makes finger quotes, "'Jurassic Park' Project, is because on of our spies got transferred last minute to do a boat job for cargo to Isla Nublar. From there, he made connections with more frequently used boaters who informed him of the renovations to the Five Deaths island chain. From what he has told me, it seems like they are attempting to control the entire animal entertainment business. The 'Jurassic Park' project is stage one, with the Five Deaths island chain being a potential stage two through four project. My best gues is Hammond wants to make a big play onto the safari scene by controlling the world's only dinosaur safari. Modern safari's already cost upwards of five thousand for a week with two people. Hammond could rake in even more because of the exclusivity of his saurian safari."

"This is not even including the potential advances Hammond could make in pet trade, animal care, museum exhibitions, and such. What's worst is that it seems that the intellect of some of the dinosaurs on the islands are displaying signs of high intellect, primate levels of intelligence." The espionage head cradles his head in his hands for a moment, before continuing "That means that InGen might even get into the intelligence research field." The blank looks given to him by everyone but the genetics head cause the man to groan, "The scientific field with the hand signing gorillas." Looks of understanding light the room, even as the genetics head chuckles into his hand.

"I managed to land multiple teams of men on to Isla Sorna to get a look around at the conditions of the island. The first group I got there were your average poacher team, with a bug that transmitted sound to a receiver in my office. They lasted a couple days in the bay of the island before They encountered what I think were dilphosaurs. The transport informant got some base knowledge of some of the inhabitants was given a tour of Isla Nublar, so we have some knowledge of what InGen has." Padding some sweat off his brow, the spy head continues, "The second group I managed to get to Sorna was another poacher group. I informed them of the dinosaur threat on the island and convinced them to avoid scaling the sheer cliffs by telling them of the bay. They stayed there, before informing me of a giant crocodile that was sighted sharing the drop off point with them. They attempted to capture it for the hide of the animal. Only three men of the fifty man sized party survived. My most recent group were a twenty man troop composed of mercenaries. I haven't had a chance to reconnect with them since they lost seven of their party to raptors in one of the prairie habitats on Sorna. We tried to connect last night but a bout of bad weather prevented such. I hope to retrieve some good news from them later tonight."

"Lastly, I have put one of my best men on garnering with a disgruntled gambling employee of InGen. Hopefully we can manage to get something out of him." The espionage head relaxes against his chair at the smile the CEO is giving him. It's a good sign that he won't be fired because of the inability to sniff out the 'Jurassic Park' project long before it got to this stage. The CEO looks at the espionage head with a sudden look of question in his eyes. "Who is the man garnering with the possible infiltator?" The sudden question puts the espionage head off guard, before answering, "I put Dodgson to it." The answer causes the man to sigh, whether in frustration or in contentment is hard to tell.

"Forget it," the CEO says, "just make sure he doesn't screw this one up like he did in Chile. That is the reason I moved him from research to your department after all, to put him in an area where he can actually get something done right...and to prevent another mess. Keep your screws on him. If he makes a mess of this, I want any evidence of his connection to BioSyn after the Chile incident erased and him in jail unable to testify a connections to us after that point. Am. I. Clear?"

The intensity of the CEO's stare frightens the espionage head, causing him to shrink back an inch. "As crystal, sir." He answers. The CEO nods, "Good. Meeting dismissed."

Vote Options: {Names of siblings you want to do stuff with aren't part of the vote}
[X] Investiagte the Surroundings of the New Nest Site
-[x] with siblings (Name 3 preferred below your vote)
[X] Play/Start a Game
-[x] what game (if game is multiplayer, name 3 preferred below your vote)
[X] Listen to Grown
-[x] which Grown

QM Note: Well this came out right quick. I think this is one of the longer chapters so for, and definitely the longest on for this chapter. I reorganized the index so that everything that was chapter for is now a part of chapter three, which I did for ease of flow reasons...
...
...
This is what you get when you don't ask questions. Smacks to the face. The BS roll stood for BioSyn roll. The six men that died in the jungle, BioSyn poachers. I have hidden similar hints for the other rolls elsewhere in the story. Use logic and you may or may not succeed in answering the unanswered questions.

Vote deadline: July 11, 2016. 7:00pm (EST)

 

[AnimalKrazed]

InGen File: [REDACTED]​

Codenamed DF.08.01 - DF.08.31: The [REDACTED] species has been a highly controversial species within the InGen corporation. The original specimens, DF.08.01 through DF.08.27 are considered unsuccessful creations of Doctor [REDACTED]. They were highly aggressive and intelligent, and had a venom that caused paralysis and eventual brain death. They were eventual put down for the good and safety of Project [REDACTED]. These versions of the [REDACTED] were created male and female specimens. Upon reaching maturity they exhibited disturbing [REDACTED] behaviours that were more akin to parasitic wasps than any known reptile or avian species of the modern world. While Doctor [REDACTED] claimed that her specimens were as close to the extinct species as she could get through her genetic de-extinction technique, the company and it's scientific community believe otherwise. Doctor [REDACTED] exhibited [REDACTED] tendencies and is believed to have suffered [REDACTED] during her last days amongst the company.

Specimens DF.08.01 through DF.08.27 were later detected on [REDACTED] surprising everyone. It is believed that Doctor Sorkin smuggled some of her specimens away from the euthanasia room into an unmonitored portion of the park. It is currently unknown how many are alive and where they currently nest. It is not believed that they will manage to get off the island, making them a minor problem. It is unfortunate that Doctor [REDACTED] removed the Lysine Contingency from these specimens, we were fortunate enough to discover the weaknesses of these animals. They are extremely wary/fragile to light and seem to avoid capsaicin whenever possible. While the first weakness is understandable due to the specimen's nocturnal tendencies, the second weakness is a source of much confusion to the scientists of InGen. Due to dinosaurs, and especially [REDACTED]'s relationship to avian species of the modern world the avoidance of capsaicin is a mystery. Some of the scientists at InGen believe that the genetic de-extinction technique that Doctor [REDACTED] used had faults that cascaded into the creation of a creature very different from the target that was aimed for. In this manner, Doctor [REDACTED]'s technique is as faulty as Doctor [REDACTED] 's and much more expensive, meaning that InGen's choice of Project Head was correct.

Specimens DF.08.01 through DF.08.31 all display similarities, in that they are all based on the same dinosaur species. The ones currently on [REDACTED] are currently listed as a pest species and to be exterminated with extreme prejudice due to their threat level. For more information ask [REDACTED]. The hunting habits and general behaviours of DF.08.01 through DF.08.27 are unknown as of this time. Specimens DF.08.30 through DF.08.31 are an undertaking of Doctor [REDACTED] to salvage the species for InGen. These are much more closely watched. Only one family of the species is currently on the facility floor and is under constant surveillance to better help grow our understanding of the specimens and to prevent a potential backlash from any instincts that arise that are akin to specimens DF.08.01 through DF.08.27. These specimens currently have a brood in the works and their parenting behaviours do not represent their predecessors, thankfully. They are still caring parents, and nocturnal animals like their predecessors but lack the exaggerated weakness to light and capsaicin. Their hunting behaviours are like those of a coyote, going for small prey that is without much risk. On occasion they will take a larger prey item, but only if the conditions are right.

A/N: Hey all, I'm back and ready to continue this Quest. I'm sorry for the long hiatus It has been a tough year for me. I had to take the dreaded... Statistics and Data Anaylsis courses which really are into my time. Thankfully I'm not as busy this summer so I should be able to get out some chapters.

Just because I wasn't posting here though doesn't mean I wasn't writing though, don't you fret. I was working on both this Quest and potential expansions. I also worked on how I could actually get you guys into the world I've built around you. I actually haven't even begun to open it to you this for but I'm going to. I'm going to admit something to you guys now. Before this point I was rolling and having others roll for certain events to happen. The Tyrannosaur interrupt and the move where just one of several duh possible events and I'm not content with chance deciding on everything anymore. I have decided I'm going to try and gently guide things more closely than before. YES! I have a plot actually planned out in advance now. I think that's why this quest, before now, was so Slice of Life. Hopefully, we manage to change that. Anyways, enjoy one of the cards up my sleeve in the meantime.

Oh, and expect a new chapter sometime in the next week and a bit.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Part One
New Nest Investigations
​

It has been quite a few weeks since your pack made the journey to the new nesting site. The entirety of the time, the Grown of the Pack have been keeping a tense watch for anything that comes even close to the area. The only recurring encounters are with the big eyed Hunters that have a underground den, and these encounters only occur at night. They have hatchlings too, but these have only just begun to come out of the den they nest in. The Pack, as a whole think of them as odd, but not much of a threat. The Eyes, as the Pack has taken to calling them, only hunt small prey not of my much worth to the Pack, such as the prey that you swore vengeance on when you first hatched. Odd though it is to you, you do not feel much anger at them for acting on their hunger towards the targets of your once great rage. Sometimes, you even feel satisfaction watching them toy with and eat the Small Mammals alive under the watch of the Soft Light.

It is now the midst of the Wet Season, and prey is plentiful. Your Pack does not hunger or thirst as you feared they would when you first arrived in the nesting site. The encounter with the Two-Claws stirred up a fear of Great Hunters (mega fauna type predators) falling upon the nesting site again. Father sent out Second Male to locate a secondary nesting site alongside Scars-Scales so that they might not have to randomly choose another place to make nest again.

As the two journeyed throughout the Pack's territory, the Pack focused on teaching. Mother taught you and your siblings the meaning of Pack and it's importance. Father taught of hunting methods, and helped you to practice them upon the large hearred (earred) Small Mammal prey (bunnies) that made this area home before the Pack's arrival. It took some time, but you and your siblings got use to the methods Father taught. More than one collision of bodies from a Silent Talk miscommunication during those hunting sessions happened, and you still find them funny. That was something else that was taught to you, better Silent Talk skills. You are quite proud of the progress you have made, since now you can understand a good portion of what the Grown speak of when they use it. Some words still evade you, you don't understand how you keep messing up Precise-Claw (raptor) with Precise Claws (killing toe claw) with talons. They are quite obviously different things and it confuses you that you keep mixing them up.

In the times that the Pack went together to the long water (river), Slack-Jaw taught you and your siblings how to hunt the wet prey (fish). As Slack Jaw taught you to hunt the wet prey in their home, Scar-Snout tells you of a time when the Grown had been taken from Oddfather's care and let to roam free. They did not yet know how to hunt the Good Prey (dinosaurian herbivores) that they so relished in the present, so they wandered in hunger for a time. They came to the long water one day to fill their thirst when they saw the flashing of the wet prey underneath their snouts as they drank. Famished and weak with hunger, one of them snapped their jaws at the flash and snagged a wet prey in their fangs. Sharing the little flesh to be had, she showed her sisters the flashes and they feasted upon them, filling their hunger till they managed to learn to hunt the Good Prey.

Anyways, the Grown have finally laxed their watch over you and your siblings lately, allowing you to explore the nesting site area. It is nothing like the last one, lacking any open fields and patches of long grass in which to hide and play. The nesting site you live in now is all branchless trees that reach high up before branching, and bushes in which you are now too big to really climb in. It is in one such occassion that you figure out that you have grown since arriving in the new nesting site. You and your siblings now reach around the high knees (actual knee not raised ankle like previous height announcement) of the Grown.

You had just explored the area just outside the nesting site the previous Bright Light (day) with Bright, Dark Gray Sister, Boulder Gray Sister, and Stone Brother. Light Blue Gray Brother had already gone exploring with another couple of your siblings and you had wanted to do the same. You poked around The Eyes den, and been hissed at. You and your siblings could see them, hissing out you from inside but they never came out to do anything about you. After taunting them from just outside their den, your foursome was lead by Bright, Dark Gray Sister, who had somehow taken control of the small exploring pack, to look at what else was around. The only real interesting thing you found was Not-Flesh hanging from one of the trees branches. You dared one another to take a bite from it, but no-one ever did...maybe next time.

The only place left to explore are tunnels dug by the long hearred Small Mammals that made this place their home before the Pack's arrival. They are just big enough for you back up into tail first and relax in if you crawl to do so. You have been tempted to squeeze yourself inside them and terrorize the prey inside many times, but never really go through with it. You don't want to get stuck like Boulder Gray Sister did on her last attempt. The Grown had to dig her out because of how stuck she was, and she came out with Small Mammal droppings stuck to the underside of her snout. She was carried all the way to a long water to be dunked repeatedly for washing...no one really wanted to lick her clean of it. Bleh, you don't even want to imagine the taste. You remember a time you once could have easily explored them, and you still want to. So, you lay about with your siblings of choice, Bright, Dark Gray Sister, Boulder Gray Sister, Stone Brother, and Light Blue Gray Brother chittering about how to get someone inside the tunnels. A loud trumpet interrupts the conversation though and it doesn't sound like any Precise-Claw you know.

You...
[X] Write-In

QM Note: Sorry guys it took so long to get out. Work butted in and made it difficult to write, alongside a secondary quest idea that I have yet to post on my ideas thread. I'm leaving the what-do vote open to see what you guys come up with. I plan to update at least once every two weeks from this point onwards, if not every week. I'm not going to be adding anymore soundtracks to the quest because trying to find something fitting was actually hurting my ability to write. If you find something you want to advise, go ahead, but don't expect any soundtracks from me unless I have something preplanned for a scene. Anyways, enjoy and converse about anything you please.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Part Two
Intruder/Visitor?
​

Immediately a plan of action comes to mind, but Bright, Dark Gray Sister makes herself known a little faster. In contrast to your idea of sending just one of your group to figure out what is going on, she wants everyone to hide in the bushes in preparation for an ambush, should the Grown require it. Its a plan with her signature all over it, hard dominance instilled with good forethought and a 'demonstration' of Grown traits. Still, better than it would have been than if Silver Sister had come up with the plan, she would have wanted to gather everyone of your siblings to come for a full frontal assault on whoever the intruder was. You still want to know what exactly is going on so as your group makes their way towards the place the trumpet came from, you manage to convince her to send you to stalk and listen so the rest of your little hunting pack can put their entire focus on avoiding detection. Since its your idea to get more information on what is happening, she puts you in charge of getting the closest. If something requires action, she wants you to triple chirp in a manner like a hopping insect. You give her a verbal affirmation before heading off to stalk the closest Grown, Second Male, toward the impromptu meeting place.

Noticing a puddle formed from the heavy rain of yesterday, you dive into it and smother your scent before continuing after your oldest sibling. As you follow after, you can catch glimpses of your little ambush pack following after. Creeping silently in the shade of the bushes and tangled vines, you remember to keep an eye for fallen branches and avoid them. Finally reaching the edge of the clearing where the trumpet sounded from, you see your first glimpse of a Precise-Claw unrelated to your pack. He is tall, just as if not taller than Mother. It's startling because you have never known a male to be that tall, let alone anyone other than Mother. He is an incredibly dark red, his stripes barely perceivable against the coloration of his hide.

"Strong-Jaw-Pierces-Stone, what brings you into our territory?" calls out Mother, meeting him at a Grown's length from one another.

"First Female of the Great Hill, Storyteller, please let us drop the formality's," responds the male, apparently Strong-Jaw. The name stirs a foggy remembrance in you from a story told to you in the old nesting site, alongside the scent of night and the taste Thorn-Hand (Iguanodon) flesh. You shake it off, focusing on the conversation going on in front of you.

"Strong-Jaw, you are telling me the time has come yet again. The last meeting took place not even a full season ago, how could one of the Grown Tree Beasts (sauropods) have fallen so soon after the last?" Mother exclaims.

"I know it sounds unlikely, but it is true. You can scent the taste of excitement in the air from here. Hunters can smell it anywhere they live on this side of the Grand Gray Tree and its branches. From our position on the Great Rock, we can see over its reach and see that even their the Hunters are upset that such a bounty is beyond their reach. Storyteller, you know I wouldn't come without good reason." Here Strong-Jaws pauses and licks his lips.

"The Tree Beast breathed its last on a cliff side in my territory, before falling to a hard to reach spot. Precise-Claws and those Hunters smaller than us will easily reach it, but we are safe from the usual interference of the Two-Claws (Rexes) and other Hunters of similar and lesser might. You know as well as I that the felling of a Tree Beast is a sign for the packs to convene. My subordinates have had trouble finding the Southernmost pack. It is why I came to you rather then Rivers. The Stars know that Flying-Stones needs the break from his incessant attempted courting."

You pause when you hear three loud crunches coming from the direction you remember seeing Dark, Gray Sister, and the rest of our little hunting party disappeared. Wincing, you watch as Strong-Jaw startles and readies a threat display when Dark, Gray Sister, Stone Brother, and Boulder Gray Sister stumble into the clearing, Dark Gray Sister sliding downhill after having slipped on a slick patch of mud, and Stone Brother and Boulder Gray Sister falling from above. You look across the clearing and watch Light Blue Gray Brother snicker in the shade of a bush just inside the clearing itself. Strong-Jaw's eyes flash with some emotion before succumbing to cackling.


How do you respond to this accident?
[X] Write-In Response
What do you do now?
[X] Write-In Action

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Part Three
Uh...Quick Do A Pose
​

You watch as Stone Brother and Boulder Gray Sister immediately start to squabble amongst themselves, playfully and clearly enjoying the surprise fall, as Dark Gray Sister immediately starts to preen herself clean. Its kind of obvious that she is embarrassed by the poor footing that caused her to slip and fall into the clearing. Its something that could just have easily happened on the soon approaching First Hunt that the pack will be taking your brood on, causing an injury or death. Just goes to show that everyone needs to work on their skills, if even the most driven of your siblings can fall prey to a foolish mistake like that. You'd say the same for your other two siblings in your little squad for this endeavour...if you weren't sure they hadn't fallen from the branches on purpose in the first place. It was hard to tell with them sometimes.

Sending a glance over to Light Blue, Gray Brother from his spot, you send a quick Silent Talk asking if he wants to show himself or not. He sends a swift no before curling up, content to watch and observe. Deciding that you want to give this newcomer a proper welcome from your brood you enter into the clearing, head held high. You stop by your 'squabbling' siblings, who are now just clearing bickering for the joy of it, to make sure they hadn't injured themselves in their little attempt at flight. The once-over you give them reveals no such injuries, before you trot over to Dark Gray Sister, who is now clearly sulking about being laughed at...or with. It's hard to tell with Grown sometimes. Making sure that only her pride is injured, you move over to confront the newcomer who has stopped cackling by now and is giving you an appraising eye.

The feeling of being under his eye is very much unlike that of any other Grown you've been watched by before. Whereas the other Grown's attention has never done more than provide a slight warmth of affection at being cared for, Strong-Jaw's attention feels sharp and cold. You'd say it feels like what you imagine the teeth of a Gaping Jaws (Deinosuchus) would have felt like, for a moment before you flash back to the moment you almost experienced for real. A quick tingle of fear shocks down your spine, before you gather yourself. You want to make a good first impression, and what better way to do that than to do the best threat pose you can. Reaching deep down for your instincts, you feel them guide you. You stretch your arms up high, claws pointed out towards him, all the while making a jerking, hissy motion with your snout.

Strong-Jaw gazes down on you as you do this, before reaching down at Mother's protest, and picking you up in his claws. The moment he does so, you stop the display in shock as you have never been picked up like this before. Feeling his talons prick your scales, he rakes his eyes over your entire exposed body...you totally regret the pose now. Instincts, you can go suck an elder Tree Beast's rotten testicle. You wriggle free of Strong-Jaws grasp, happy to get away, as Mother rebukes him for the action. As you focus on grooming yourself into a better mood, you vaguely hear Mother comments just how much she didn't approve of that action.

By the time you take your attention off yourself and back to whatever is going on in the clearing, Strong-Jaw is once again in deep conversation with another of your pack, this time one of the other Grown that seem to shown up while you were improving your mood. You think it is Slack-Jaw, but your not sure at this distance. You can make out Mother watching over the entirety of the clearing as Strong-Jaw converses with your Grown packmate, as well as a couple other Grown loitering around the clearing, playing with your siblings and other such activities common to relaxation time. Curiosity aroused by conversation of a pack meeting, so you go over to Mother.

What do you ask about regarding the Pack Gathering?
[X] Why do the packs meet one another when an elder Tree Beast (brachiosaur) dies?
[X] What happens at one of these gatherings?
[X] What is it like in Strong-Jaws territory?
[X] Write-in

QM Note: Sorry about the small size, I was floundering around trying to figure out how to go about questioning Mother when I decided it would be best to let you guys decide. Last week has been tiring, telemarketing is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Reason why this chapter wasn't written over the weekend like I said it would be was because I got sick, couldn't focus on anything. Anyways, thanks to UnderSeaWings for kicking me into motion writing this and thanks to you guys for taking the time to read it.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

QM Note: Voting Ends. 3 Votes for questioning about the Gathering wins. I'll attempt to have it out some point tomorrow or the day after. Enjoy the InGen file I'm including.

InGen File: DF.01
​

Codenamed DF.01: These specimens were the first major de-extinction project that was undertaken by InGen in regards to the targeted specimens and remains one of our most successful to date. Labeled under the project name, Prometheus, it wasn't until well into the embryonic development of the first batch of young that the team realized what had been reproduced. Specimens within the first batches produced were unusually weak, and prone to breathing problems. It is currently estimated that only 5 of the first batches still survive at this point, while a large herd of fifty or so animals of the later batches have survived to the present day.

While many did die, some of these specimens managed to survive to adulthood and still roam [REDACTED] today. InGen's team quickly found genetic sequences that could be inserted or modified to help these creatures survive without the ailments that the first batches were suffering and so acted quickly and got a much healthier batch out in short order. Some of the sequences came from larger bird specimens, many of which possess strong, hollow bones that aid in the breathing process. Genetics from the AF.04 test subjects were also added, in the hopes that the genetics from that project would be of use. The genetics of an unknown subspecies of Whiptail lizards from New Mexico was inserted into the DF.01 specimens in the hopes of encouraging a diurnal animal before discovering just what DF.01's embryonic states would form into. This genetic sequence has not been removed as of this point, though it has been scheduled to be done for a while. This has been backtracked until the illness that this species has been suffering is figured out and solved.

Currently, the majority of the most successful, mature batches reside on the Park project space. The interactions those animals have with the creatures that share their domain is very much akin to the ones present on [REDACTED]. DF.01 specimens will attract herds of smaller animals around themselves, probably seeking the intimidation that such a large animal presents to predators. Predators do tend to avoid DF.01 specimens at adult sizes, but will deliberately seek out young released on to [REDACTED] due to their helplessness. This has been a problem since the release program went into progress and is currently a fix by providing the DF.06 the young to raise as their own. Many still do not survive to adulthood due to predation, but it is expected more will survive with this practice in action.

Behaviour of DF.01 specimens is very much a mixture of known mega fauna such as the giraffe and the elephant. They forage the topmost leafs of trees, making use of long, nimble tongues to grip leaves too far for their lips to strip. It is believed that throned trees such as the acacia tree of Africa would be of little threat to the specimens. On [REDACTED] DF.01 specimens follow a matriarchal system, with the eldest female leading the herd in a manner very much like that of modern elephants. Also like elephants, DF.01 specimens will tear down trees that gets in their way in an attempt to get at food out of their usual reach, though this has been done with such rarity that it has only happened once. Reactions to predators has not been documented in adult specimens due to a lack of such having occurred. Young below a certain mass have little protection and often fall to predation, though above this mass limit seem to become intimidating in a way that causes predator species to falter.

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Part Four
Gathering Questions
​

"Mother," you ask upon getting close enough to her, "what is the gathering you were talking about to Strong-Jaw?"

Mother answers, even as she keeps her gaze upon the entire clearing, "The gathering we were talking about is a time of celebration. When a Tree-Beast (brachiosaur) dies, there is an abundance of food for all to eat. Hunters from all over come to partake of the meal provided by such a death. Normally, at such events Hunters such as Precise Claws (raptors) and Frilled Crests (JP movie Dilos) would have to wait for the large Hunters such as the Two-Claws (Rexes) and Long Jaws (Baryonyx) to have their fill." Mother's expression gains a vicious, victorious feel to it suddenly, "This gathering though, it looks like our smaller size is to our advantage. The Two-Claws and other large Hunters are too massive to get into the craggy cliffs that Strong-Jaw claims the Tree-Beast to have fallen. They are not nimble enough to recover from a mis-step such as we can, neither are they light enough to get to the outcrops that the carcass has likely fallen unto."

Mentally picturing it, you feel a lightness inside. It has been a while since you last remembered that even though Precise Claws are potential prey to the larger Hunters, that being a small Hunter has advantages of its own. For a moment, you feel tempted to clamber unto Mother's back before shaking off the feeling as something you no longer can reliably getaway with. The call of a Tree Hopper (JP novel Othnelia) breaks the mental image, calling you back to reality. Another question bubbles to the surface, as to what happens at these gatherings.

Getting Mother's attention again, you question, "What do we do at these gatherings?"

Mother, giving you a quick glance before returning to the standard sentry duty pose, responds, "Typically, at these gatherings the packs we know of will convene and share recent events. Hunting stories are shared, both successes and failures, to see who has done well and who has had the most entertaining failures." Mother chuffs, apparently remembering one such story, "I, myself, tend to be one of the premier storytellers at these events."

Shaking off the self-preening moment, Mother continues, "The hatchlings and yearlings will play games, fostering a greater community amongst the packs." Mother gains a fond look, "I am looking forward to seeing Day's Light and the others from the Southern Pack. It has been almost a year since the last gathering." Mother turns gentle eyes to you, "We won't have to hunt for a while if the Tree Beast is an adult, and the large Hunters are unable to find a way to it. There will be enough to feast for weeks."

Blinking rapidly, Mother shakes herself from a sentry duty posture to, what you think of as, her leading posture. "Great Hill Pack, it is time to move." Turning to Strong-Jaw, Mother addresses him, "Strong-Jaw, I would ask that you lead us to the gathering site. I would prefer to get there in all haste, so that we do not give the large Hunters any time to come up with some method of taking this bounty from us. My only request is that we make a quick stop at the Bay so we can bring Little Stone and her mate to the gathering."

Strong-Jaw, meeting Mother's eyes, caws, "Certainly, Storyteller. I will take the lead, you and your pack need only to follow. I thought I picked up a familiar scent on the wind when I bypassed that area." That said, he moved towards your pack's northernmost territory line. You could only wriggle in excitement, your first time beyond the pack's territory.

What will you do now:
[X] Question Strong-Jaw about his territory
[X] Play with Siblings
- [x] Who and What Game
[X] Question Packmate(s)
- [x] Who and What About
[X] Write-In Option

QM Note: Alright, finished this up. Sorry that it is not as large an update as normal, I'm trying a new way of getting updates out which means posting more content a week, which means less word content per post. Hope that this got things rolling for you guys and interested you further. I am getting us further on track to plot with this. Given how long it has been in Quest, we are only a week or so off from Hurricane Clarissa so plenty of plot and content is on route...Finally am I right?

Vote will end on Thursday.

Roll Needed:
Event Roll: 1d20

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Updated Map: Now Included Known Territories

Map of Isla Sorna: Site B
Out of Character Knowledge
Great Hill Pack Territory - Sierra San Fernando area (Longest stretch of hill east half of island)
Bay Pack Territory - Sierra San Fernando internal beach area. (Home of Big Sister, Little Stone and her mate)
Great Rock Pack Territory - Punto Alto area. (Northeasternmost part of island, ignoring red road and highest peak/lab area)
Great Tree Pack Territory- La Pradera area (mid-plains section of Isla Sorna. Lives in two thirds not cut off by human fence)
Southern Pack Territory - La Blanco area (southern mountain/forest area)

Spoiler: Maps

Geographic Map​

Please ignore the locations of movie events. Those will be decided by the QM later on. This map is so that the QM and readers can have better mental images of their landscapes while in character.

Goals:
Vengeance on the Small Mammals (rats) - LESSENED WITH AGE & LACK OF ACTION
Find OddFather?: Unlockability ?????

Major Events Ongoing:
???????

Major Events Past:
The Miracle
The Great Dying
????????
Lost Innocence
????????

Click to shrink...

Character Sheet Updated: Has current size, and skills.

Family Name: Pebble Brother
Public Name: N/A
True Name: ???????N/A???????

Character Picture and Information

Character Picture as of Last Update: N/A
Information:
The protagonist has some knowledge of the world, stories from the pack having provided where instinct failed, providing names for the more important objects in his life. Natural intellect and curiosity are coming more into play. Your name is Pebble Brother as of this moment and you have no rank beyond hatchling. You possess little practice surviving in the world, beyond the games you play and what few successful rodent hunts you go on. Almost everything in this world sees you as prey or something to get rid of.

You are currently 2 feet, 7 inches tall and 3 feet 8 inches long from snout to tail tip. You are the same shade of gray as most stereotypical stone, allowing you to blend in well with most environments. During maturity, your hide will slowly shed away the gray scales and trade them in for shades of red with dark stripes. Your eyes are the same yellow/green shade as most hatchlings and females of your kind and shares the same brown/red blood vessels in your eyes with them. Your eyes will eventually become the lime green shade of males upon your maturity. Your claws are sharp, capable of doing damage to most native wildlife on the island. Only resurrected species have skin able to resist your claws now. This will change, with time.

Hunting Skills: Novice
Sensing Skills: Experienced Novice
Hiding Skills: Experienced Novice
Intellectual Skills: Initiate
Social Skills: Experienced Novice
Survival Skills: Experienced Novice
Instinct: Prominent For now

Species Ability: Pack Loyalty Your pack stands by you in all things.
Species Disadvantage: Bloodrush Blood for Blood, Arm for an Arm. VENGANCE! in all things.

Click to shrink...

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Part Five
Talking to a First
​

Setting your mind to task, you wander up to Strong-Jaw as the Moon begins its ascension into the sky. As you manage to get within chittering distance of him, you hear him already engaged in conversation with Slack-Jaw about one of her recent solo hunts. This interests you vaguely so you saddle up alongside them and listen into the conversation. She is describing taking down one of the Frill-Beaks (Protoceratops) in an ambush style hunt by the waterside. You remember this story because it is one she has shared with you and your siblings before, it's her favourite solo hunt of the season so far. In this hunt-story, she started out by tracking the Frill-Beak by the spoor it left behind, which let her know that it was sick with some kind of illness. Following that trail for hours, she caught up quickly and waited until such time that her target wandered away from the main herd, to get a drink with other thirsty members of it's kind. This is about the point in which you began to listen to her retell the story to Strong-Jaw.

"The Frill-Beak I had been following for the majority of the day by that point came within three body-lengths (thirty - forty-five meters) of my hiding place in the rock outcropping. I don't know why they were so cautious that day, most of the time when I hunt in that place they come within two body-lengths (twenty - twenty-five meters) but I guess that the herd had already been hunted either in the night or at dawn," Slack-Jaw chirped, "You know as well as I do that any Precise-Claw could have made the kill with that kind of distance if the target had been alone, but it was in the midst of a pretty sizeable group, about ten or some individual members. It was so frustrating to have food that close but yet be so far out of reach," she snarled for a moment, lost in the memory.

Strong-Jaw snorted in amusement, "I sure do. I think you remember one of my hunting tales involving a certain infuriating Strider (Gallimimus)?"

"I certainly do, Strong-Jaw. That is the tale in which the Strider got away, then slowed down just enough to taunt you?" Slack-Jaw chuffed at the undescribed story.

Pouting at missing out on what appears to be a great hunting story, the two Grown continue on without noticing your whine of complaint.

"So, there I was just lurking in the shade of the rock outcropping as the Sun began it's descent from it's highest point in the sky. My target had just finished up drinking from the river and was about to head back to the herd when a baby Gaping Jaws (deinosuchus OR cuban caiman) erupted from the water and took one of the Frill-Beaks by the forelimb. That startled the entire grouping into spreading out and away from the struggling Hunter/Prey pair. My target just so happened to burst away from his group towards my rock outcropping," here Slack-Jaw clicked her jaws in excitement of what happened next, "Seeing that this would be the best opportunity that I would get to take my target down I tackle it down and immediately managed to lock one of my Precise Claws (killing talons) into the jugular of it's neck. It was dead soon after." Turning her head down to you, she gives a very slight nod, Silent Talking, "Go Ahead" to you.

"Strong-Jaw," you pipe up, "what is your territory like?"

Strong-Jaw gives you a controlled look, taking you in, in your entirety. It unnerves you in a way that you cannot place, but feels so familiar. The pupils of his eyes flicker as he inhales and scents you.

"Hm," he starts, " you are a plucky little guy aren't you. A little young to be testing just what the boundaries of another Precise-Claws territory are, are you not."

You sputter, "No, no, no, no, I did not mean anything like that. I mean does your territory have big forests and rivers like my pack's territory or is it different?"

Strong-Jaw gives you a discerning look, before describing his territory, "It is the northernmost territory the island has to offer, and one of the smallest. It doesn't need to be large though, because it has plenty of prey for us to take as our own. The slopes that we have in my territory are much steeper than the ones that you have here, some of them so steep that only the Sturdy-Horns (rams/goats) can climb them. What trees we have there are prickly, and lean. The large herbivores that we have in the territory are constantly on the move, or reside in the southern, hilltop plains. We don't often get the bulky herbivores your pack hunts in the wet season, most of the time we hunt down the Striders when we need to feed the whole pack. Any other time, one of my pack will just take a mammal or snack on a bird"

"Beyond the lean trees, my pack takes cover in the bushes and low-laying brush that tends to populate the great majority of the area. What the Tree Beast was thinking when it came to graze in my territory I have no idea, but thankful for the blessing it brought I am."

After that, Strong-Jaw just lapses into silence.

What do YOU do now? Pick Two
[X] Question Strong-Jaw
-[X] What About?
[X] Play with Siblings
- [x] Who and What Game
[X] Question Packmate(s)
- [x] Who and What About
[X] Write-In Option

Vote Ends Sunday

 

[AnimalKrazed]

Chapter Four: Part Six
Worlds Beyond
​

You pause for a moment, thinking on what you want to ask of Strong-Jaw next. Inspiration strikes suddenly, and you chirp to Strong-Jaw, "What about the other territories? Mother has mentioned the Southern Pack before, but I cannot seem to remember ever hearing what their territories are like."

Strong-Jaw gives you an intrigued look, before chittering, "The Southern packs are...different from ours. I do not know if it comes from having a distinct lack of visible territory marker such as the large beach that exists between my pack's territory and yours, if it comes from different upbringings, or if their difference comes from the near constant interaction with large Hunters that both of the packs to the South most contend with, but they are very much different than ours. Whereas the only difference between the way my pack operates from your pack is the fact that only one individual rather than a mated pair, one of the Southern packs does things...strangely," Strong-Jaw pauses, trying to find the right words to continue, "Pack TallGrass is functionally two packs. They are led by their First Female, and every female in the pack ranks higher than the First Male. The First Male leads the males of the pack and makes sure they are provided for, and kept safe. The pack itself only stays together when they rest, otherwise splitting into two smaller groups to avoid the attentions of the large Hunters that roam the plains."

"Pack TallTrees, however, runs much like our packs do. They have a First, Second, and so forth, but their mannerisms really differ from ours. They spoke strangely, coming up with words that described things that were not there, such as the word Immomoya or something like that. Their stories are a little odd, focusing on the world around them as if everything around them was alive," Strong-Jaw shook his head, as if to shake off some sort of irritant, "Still, they made for pleasant company despite of their strangeness."

"Pack TallGrass inhabit the meadows and plains that exist in-between the two Bays," Strong-Jaw twitters for a moment, before continuing, "They live in a plentiful land, filled with large Prey (herbivore dinosaurs) of all kinds. The grass there is either tall enough to hide in, or mowed short by constant movement of all sorts of Prey. Of course, with such a plentiful food source comes large Hunters. Two-Claws (Rexes) stalk the edge of the territory, looking for those foolish enough to come close to the forest's shadows. Long-Jaws (Baryonyx) hug the Bays, sinking their hooks into the aquatic prey as only they can do. Hidden Jaws (early gen Carnotaurs) lurk within the tall grass, seeking a moment to trip Prey and these are only some of the large Hunters that dwell in their territory. It is a beautiful trap, filled with so much food but hiding too much danger."

Strong-Jaw yawns, before continuing, "The Precise-Claws (raptors) of Pack TallTrees deal with a similar territorial trap. Within their borders lurk plenty of large Prey, the young of the Tree-Beasts (brachiosaurus), as well as the usual Striders (Gallimimus), Tree Hoppers (Othnielia), Green Grazers (hypsilophodont). However, within the shade of their trees lurk the Two-Claws, the Unseen Jaws (later gen Carnotaurs), Frilled Rattlers (movie JP Dilos), Two Crests (book JP Dilos), and other Hunters. In their territory, the trees grow so tall that not even the Tree-Beasts can reach the tops of them. Trunks of the trees there are thicker around than Precise-Claws are long. It is a place that makes one feel very much small indeed."

Sensing that Strong-Jaw has finished talking about this subject, you quickly jump on to another one. "What was the Strider hunting story you mentioned to Slack-Jaw earlier?"

Chuffing, Strong-Jaw gives you an amused glance, "So you heard that, did you?" He pauses, giving you a moment to chip in that you did indeed hear that, "Well, that story took place two years ago. It was as good a day as you can get on BigRock. The valley was stocked with a flock of Striders passing through to graze upon an unusually large brood of ground-dwelling insects that were inflicting the valley at the time. There was this one Strider though, it had a limp so I thought it would be easy Prey. Striders are only hard to catch so long as they can run. An injured Strider is a downed Strider." he snorts at himself, mockingly, "This Strider though, they were different. As I leapt off the crag I had hidden myself on to grab him, since they came close enough, they...leapt too. We collided midair, tangling and clashing. It was a mess, and somehow they managed to get me underfoot. If I had not managed to kick them off, they probably would have sliced me open."

"From that point on, the hunt was a lost cause, he had the head start over me and could get back into the midst of his flock," Strong-Jaw snorted in irritation, "Without the support of my pack with me at that time, I would be unable to panic the flock into seperating. The Strider knew that, and deliberately taunted me by slowly walking back into the their flock's midst. That is not to say that I didn't leave it some scares for it to remember me by, when I kicked it off me I managed to dig in my Precise Claws just enough to leave a matching set of weeping wounds on it's chest." Strong-Jaw stopped their reminiscing, sighed, and wandered off to talk with another Grown.

What Now?
[] Play
-[] Who with
--[] What game
[] Talk
-[] Who with and what about
[] Write-In

Vote Ends Wednesday